Electrodeposition of metals.



Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

J. A. COREY.-

ELECTRODEPOSITION 0F METALS APPLICATION FILED JAN.13,1911.

Fig.1.

in g o m na DMD z R pv L2 9 A I!!! I!!! vvllllfilllflilliilll liiii if, if a Witnesses- J. A. COREY.

ELEGTRODEPOSITION 0F METALS.

APPLICATION rum) JAN. 13, 1911.

1 ,O36,571 1 Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Fig. 2.

Inventor Witnessesflw WW MM I I Attorney.

- 9. subject of the King of Great Britain and I STATES PATENT oFrIoE.

muss ALBERT corner, or DATCHE'I, lineman. nn crnonsrosmor' or METALS.

lib erratum it may ,Be it known that I, JAMES ALBERT Conan at Ontario, Montague Ireland, residin ngland, have invented cer- Road, Datchet,

tain new and useful Improvements 1n and Relatin to the Electrodepositi'on of Metals,

v of whic the'following is a specification.

I This invention relates to apparatus for electro depositing metals and more ,particu larly to apparatus-for the production of printers electrotypeefor use with high cur"- rent densities of the kind in which there is mounted withinfa circular vat an annular negative electrode which is rotated for the movement of the cathode in the electrolyte,

and the invention has for its object to providean apparatus of improved construction 7 adapted to work economically with high tion and arrangement of the cathode and cathode, also an improved mold or holder by which good contact withthe current densities and Whose operation is simple, convenient and efiective; and the invention comprises an improved construcanode carriers and means for passingcun rent therethrough, and for rotating the plate athode carrier is always insured; and improved means for filtering and maintaining con-- stant the strength of the electrolyte without the necessity of interrupting theworking of the apparatus. a

According to the invention the negative electrode carrier is provided as a ring carried by suitable arms from a vertical spindle mounted so as to rotate upon ball bearings and adapted to be driven by any suit-- able form of driving gear. The electrode ring is advantageously of a substantially rectangular cross-section the upper surface of which is formed as a ridge or withridges having two inclined faces to form contact surfaces for the reception of the plate or mold holders which are formed with cor= respondingly shaped contact surfaces.

The positive electrode carrier is provided as a stationary ring carried by arms or other suitable means from a pedestal or. the like and is preferably formed with contact surfaces for the reception of the anodeplate holders, similar to those on the negative electrode.

According to the invention, moreover,

' means are provided for filtering the electrolyte and maintaining the strength there- Specification of letters fiaten't, Application'flled January 13, 1911. Serial No. 802,455.

Patented Aug. 2231912.v

- any interruption of the working of the applaratus, the. electrolyte being withdrawn: cm the vat and led to the filter and to.

the means employed for maintaining the I strength, 'by an air injecting device -adapted to'force air into an outlet pi e so as topro- .duce suction therein by which the electro: 13 is drawn from the vat. V

In order that the speed of rotation of the negative electrode may be under control according to the invention a variable speed driving gear may be rovided of any suit;- able type. The pre erred form of gear, however, consists of a friction disk or plate secured to theupper extremity ofthe spindle supporting the negative electrode and a driving friction wheel slidably mounted upon a transversely disposed driving shaft and adapted to contact with the face of the friction disk and to be moved to any desired distance from the center of the disk according to .the speed it is desired to give to the electrode.

The invention also covers the construc tional details hereinafter more fully described.

It is found that by the use of the apparatus according to the invention it is possible to increase the working voltage and'therebyv to secure a proportional increase of current without .an appreciable increase of resistance, in the electrolyte, the ratio between the values of the voltage and the current being approximately constant for all voltages which are used in practical work. As the result of this feature in the working-of the apparatus, high current densities can be used in an economical manner and the output of such apparatus thereby materially increased. p

The invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the ap-' paratus provided according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the variable speed gear; Figs. 3 and 4 are respectively side and front elevations on an enlarged scale of the mold .or plate holders or carriers.

In carrying the invention into eifectac- 'cording to the construction illustrated in the drawing, a circular lead-lined vat a is provided in which the electrolyte is contained and above the vat there is provided a frame a carrying the bearing a and the driving gear for the spindle 0 Provision is made race for the ball bearin at the upper end of the'bearing a for the mounting of one member of a ball bearing a by which the weight of the spindle and electrode carrier are taken, and upon either side of the bearing on the frame a there are provided upstanding arms a having bearuigs for the reception of the driving shaft (Z of the driving gear.

The spindle c is provided as a hollow shaft disposed in the bearing a and having secured to its upper extremity the friction disk 03 or other driven member of the driving gear by means of a set screw and a collar d screwed upon the shaft and preferably recessed into the friction disk. Atv ihe lower end of the boss of, the friction disk there is mounted the second member of the a which member is advantageously provi ed with a downwardly projecting dust-excluding flange. At the lower extremity of the spindle 0 there is mounted a fitting 0 held in place thereon by a-set screw and a collar 0 upon which fitting are secured a number of downwardly and outwardly projecting arms 0* to the outer extremities of which the ring carrier 0 for the negative electrode is secured.

In the center of the vat there is disposed a cylindrical earthenware or the'like pedestal e the upper extremity of which extends above the level of the electrolyte and is closed by a plate-e which is provided with a number of outwardly projecting arms 6 to the outer extremities of which the rin carrier 1) for the positive electrode is secure The plate e is provided at the center with an upwardly extending boss c which serves as a seat for a tube or the like 6 extending through the hollow spindle a and maybe adapted to serve as aconduit for the positive cables or leads 6 which are led therein at the upper extremity and are brought out through slots or holes near the lower extremity of the tube, which is secured-to the boss'or seat a and connected to the ring carrier b for the positive electrode by any suitable means. Near the lower extremity of the spindle 0 there is mounted upon the tube 6 but insulated from it, a slip ring 0 secured in position by an insulated screw or the like, and at the lower end of the slip ring there are provided sockets in a fitting c incontact with the slip ring to receive the ends of the negative cables or leads 0 which are led away through an aperture in the cover plate 6 through the-pedestal e. The current is led from the negative electrode 0 to the slip ring 0 by means of a set of brushes of any suitable kind. Each set of brushes is conveniently carried on avertically disposed spipdle f carried at one cxtremity by a lug f provided for the purpose at the inner.end of the arm 0 and at the other extremity-by a stay f secured to the outer end of the arm- 0. The brush holders provided to be received.

The mold or plate holders or carriers 9 (Figs. 3 and 4) are formed with a hooklike portion 9 slightly displaced to one side of the fiat metal body of the holder and provided with a V shaped; opening on the underside, adjacent the body of the holder, the inclined faces. g of which opening are recessed oricut away at the middle of their length so as to leave at each end of the opening a pair of oppositely disppsedv and reusedinclined faces.

said faces can be readily cleaned without By such a donstruction the danger of rounding them or destroying their true alinement. At a position substantially near the lower edge of the ring electrodecarrier when the holder 9 is suspended thereon the'adjacent face of the body part of the holder is provided with a pair of raised contact faces 9 adapted to contact against the ring electrodecarrier and immediately below a hole is formed through the body of the plate holder in which is loosely mounted a specially formed clamping bolt 7'. The said bolt is of an L shape and has one of its limbs which passes through the holder screw-threaded for the greater portion'of its wedgeshaped ridges and rotating the clamping bolt to bring the cam surface an arm carried on thereof with pressu'r e against the lower surface of the ring electrode-carrier thus drawing the inclined faces'g of the portion 9 into good electrical contact with the wedge-- shaped ridge. Upon screwing home the locking nut r the flat face 7- of the second limb of the bolt is brought with pressure against the inside of. the ring electrode-cars rier' to draw the contact faces 9 of the holder g into good electrical contact with or fastened to the-holder. If it is desired, a.

weasel an 1 handle-like extension 9 may he provided at the upper end of the holder. The surfaces so provided on the holder for contact with the electrodes and molds or plates are readily cleaned and kept in an etlicient Working condition. lf the clamping bolt is not used the electrode ring may be grooved vertically below each of the ridges p to receive the points of screws, pins or the like mounted in the holders g and adapted to engage the grooves when the holders are in position on the electrode carriers to prevent the hold ers from swinging upon the rotation of the electrode. The positive electrode carrier is U advantageously of similar construction to that of the negative electrode carrier in which case the anode plate holders are similar "to the holders 9 but are bolted or siveated to the plates and provided to be clamped freely in position upon the electrode-carrier.

In order that the temperature the electrolyte may be varied or controlled as may he desired according to the requirements of the Work, there is provided upon the floor of the vet a, as Sl'lOWIl in the drawing, or around the interior, a coiled pipe it provided with an inlet pipe and an outlet pipe, throu hich steam or water may he circulated he purpose of heating or cooling the electrol te so as to secure the desired temperature, e supplies of and may he led into the inlet pipe il by means of athree-Way valve of any suitable kind.

For the purpose of providing for the tilltration of thee trolyte and for maintaining constant tlfe strength thereof during the Working of the apparatus, there is provided an air supply pipej leading into the vet and having an upwardly directed extremity furnished with a nozzle j* the orifice of which is disposed Within the feared or hellshaped mouth Fo of a pipe ll: leading to a the pipe suitable filtering and concentrating apparates, The air supply pipe isv connected with any source of compressed air, but preferahly with an air pump driven by any suitmeans hy r ch air is forced under considerable pressu e from the nozzle 3' into ring or sucking the electrolyte into the pipe and to an apparatus Where it is filtered and the deficiency in the strength if the solution made up and whence it is returned to the vat a; by a pipe Z. The air nozzle 5 and the mouth 7c of the pipe k are preferably inclosed within a perforated cage m. It is desirable that means should be provided for regulat ing the temperature of the electrolyte in the filtration apparatusor in the tank.

The driving gear, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, comprises a driving shaft aZ carried in the hearings in the arms a and provided one extremity with two loose pulleys (i a fast pulley d? loy of which may be rotated in either direction. Mounted upon the shaft by means of a feather or the like or so as to be capable of sliding alongthe shaft there is provided a friction Wheel n with a driving face of leather or like material adapted to contact with and drive the friction disk 5 The hearings a are provided to be capable of adjustment for the purpose of regulating the pressure between the driving friction Wheel 12, and the disk d An arm a is pivoted to a pedestal n and carries means for engaging a groove provided in the boss of the friction Wheel 0? so that by movement of the arm, the friction wheel may be shifted to any position on the speed it is desired to transmit.

In order to provide'means for retaining J the friction Wheel atany particular position a quadrant or guide n 'for the arm n is provided having a series of holes in its upper face into which a pin provided upon the arm, or provided to pass through a hole therein, may engage and so retain the arm and the friction Wheel in position.

It Will be understood that the invention is not limited to the use of the variable speed gear described, as this may be of any suitable kind and if necessaryla gear giving an automatic variation of speed or change in direction of rotation may be employed.

,What I do claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is l 1. An electro-depositiug apparatus comprising a vat, an electrolyte, a," supporting frame, a rotatable'hollow spindle? a cathode,

carrier supported by said spindle, an earthenWare pedestal in said vat, an anode carrier mounted on said pedestal, a tube pass ing through saidspindle andconnected to the anode carrier, a contact ring mounted on said tube and insulated therefrom, means for securing electrical communication between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, means for conducting an electic current to the contact ring and the anode carrier, cathode and anode holders respectively suspended from the cathode and anode carriers, cathodes and anodes, and means for rotating the hollow spindle.

2. An electro-depositing apparatus comprising a vat, an electrolyte, a supporting frame, a rotatable hollow spindle, a cathode carrier supported by said spindle, an earthenware pedestal in said vat, an anode carrier mounted on said pedestal, tube passing through said spindle and connected to the anode carrier, a contact ring mounted on said tube and insulated therefrom, means for securing electrical communication between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, said means comprisin a vertically disposed spindle, brushes on said spindle, said brushes contacting with the contact ring and the cathode carrier, means for conducting an electric current to the contact ring and the anode carrier, cathode andanode 'munication between said cont-act ring and the'c athode carrier, means of' conducting an electric current to the contact ring and the anode carrier, ridgeson the cathode and: anode carriers, cathode and anode holders respectively suspended from the cathode and anode carriers and contacting with the ridges, cathodes and anodes, and means for rotating the hollow spindle.

4. An electro-depositing apparatus comprising a vat, an electrolyte, a supportin frame, a rotatable hollow spindle mounte in said frame, a cathode carrier supported by said spindle, an earthenware pedestal in said vat, an anode carrier mounted on said pedestal,.a tube passing through said spindle andlconnected to the anode carrier, a contact ring mounted on said tube and insulated l therefrom, means for forming electrical communication between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, said means comprising a vertically disposed spindle, brushes on saidv spindle, said brushes contacting with the contact ring and the cathode carrier, means of conducting an electric current ,to the contact ring and the anode carrier, ridges on the cathode and anode carriers, cathode and anode holdcm respectively suspended from the cathode and anode carriers and contacting with the ridges, cathodes and anodes, and means for rotating the hollow spindle.

' 5. An electro-depositing apparatus comprising a vat, an electrolyte, a supporting frame, a rotatable hollow spindle, a cathode carrier supported by said spindle, an earthenware pedestal in said vat, an anode carrier mounted on said pedestal, a tube passing through said spindle and connected to the anode carrier, a contact ring mounted on said tube and insulated therefrom,

means for securing electrical communication' between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, means for conducting an electric current to the contact ring and the anode carrier, cathode and anode holders respectively suspended from thecathode and anode carriers, cathodes and 'anodes, and

means for rotating-thehollow spindle, and.

anode carriers, cathodes and apparatus com-.

'ofthe cathode carrier.

6. An elect-ro-depositing apparatus cem rising a vat, an electrolyte, a supportm ame, a rotatable hollow spindle moun in said frame, a cathode carrier supported by said spindle, an earthenware pedestal in said vat; an anode. carrier mounted on said edestal,a tube passingthrough' said spin e and connected to the anode carrier, a contact ring mounted on said tube and insulated therefrom, means" for forming electrical communication between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, means of conducting an electric current to the con-. tact ring and the anode carrier, ridges on the cathode and anode carrier's, cathode'and anode holders respectively suspended from the cathode; and anode carriers and contacting with theridges, cathodesand anodes, and means for rotatingthe hollow spindle, and means for controlling the speed of rotation of the cathode carrier."

7. An electro-depositing apparatus comprising-a vat, an electro .te, a supporting 'frame, a1rotatable catho e carrier, a .sta-.

carrier, means of securingthe cathode to the holder, and a handle portion-at the upper end of saidholder, cathodes an'danodes, and means for rotating the cathode'carrien-f 8. An electro-depositing apparatus com rising a vat, an electrolyte, a supporting ame, a rotatable'hollow spindle, a cathode carrier supported by-said spindle, an earthenware pedestal in said vat, an anode carrier- 'mounte on said edestal, a tube passing through said spindle and connected *to the anode carrier, a contact ring mountedfo'n said tube and insulated therefrom, means for securing electrical"communication between said contactring and the cathode carrier,

- each of said holders comprising a plate having ,a curved upper end, contact surfaces, means of securing the holder to the cathode carrier, means of securing thecathode to the,

holder, and a handle portion at the upper end of said holder, means for conducting an electric current to the contact ring and the."

anode ca-rrier, cathode and anode holders respectively suspended from the cathode and anode carriers, cathodes and anodes, and means for rotating thelhollowspindle. -An elect-ro-depos'iting apparatus comusing a vat, an electrolyte, a supporting mine, a rotatable-hollow";spindle 'mounted said rmme,a:athada carrier-supported I by said spindle,

' contact ring mounted on an earthenware pedestal in said vat, ananode carrier mounted on said pedestal, a tubef passing through said spindle and connected to the anode carrier, a

said tube and insulated-therefrom, means for forming electrical communication between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, means of coning with the ducting an electric current to the contact rin and the anode carrier, ridges on the cathode and anode holders respectively suspended from the cathode and anode carriers and contactridges, each of said holders comprising a plate having -a curved upper end in which inclined surfaces are formed, said inclined surfaces being adapted to contact with the ridges, contact surfaces, means of securing the holder to the cathode carrier,

frame, a rotatable hollow spindle mounted .means of securing the cathode to the holder, and a handle portion at the upper end of said holder, cathodes and anodes, and means for rotating the hollow spindle.

1Q. An electro-deposlting apparatus comprismg a vat, an electrolyte, a supporting in said frame, a cathode carrier supported by said spindle, a stationary anode carrier,

a-tube passing through said spindle and con-- nected to the anode carrier, a contact ring mounted on said tube and insulated therefrom means forforming electrical communicatlon between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, means of conducting an copies of this patent may be obtained for signed my name presence of two subscrlblng witnesses.

electric current to the, contact ring and the anode carrier and means for rotatingthe hollow spindle.

11'. An electro-depositing apparatus comprising a vat, an electrolyte, a supporting frame, a rotatable hollow spindle mounted in said frame, a cathode carrier supported by said spindle, a stationary carrier, a tube passing through said spindle and connected to the anode carrier, a contact ring mounted on said tube and insulated therefrom, means for forming electrical communication between said contact ring and the cathode carrier, means of conductlng an electric current to the contact ring and'the anode carrier, ridges on the cathode and anode carriers, cathode and anode holders respectively suspended from the cathode and anode carriers and contacting with-the ridges, cathodes and anodes, and means for rotating the hollow spindle. i

12. The combination with electro-depositing apparatus of a holder comprisin" a plate having a curved upper end, incline contact surfaces, and a handle portion at the upper end of said holder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto to this specification in the JAMES ALBERT COREY.

Witnesses LIONEL ERNEST BUBSEY, SAMUEL GREENBERG.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

